Creamy and light, this frosting is a decadent treat on any dessert. Used to frost an egg-white-based cake, it will be your go-to for every occasion. The cake is firm just like a store-bought, so it is ideal for birthday or wedding cakes. The cornstarch makes the cake light and crumbly.
Ingredients – Cake
5 eggs whites, room temperature
2 2/3 cups flour
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup 2% milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cups butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup prepared simple syrup (to soak cakes)
Ingredients – Ermine Frosting
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups butter, softened
Food coloring of choice
Instructions
Prepare your frosting first as it needs time to cool. Whisk together the flour and the sugar in a medium saucepan and toast on low heat for one minute. Add the milk slowly until well blended. Return the flour-milk mixture to medium-high heat and bring to a simmer (approximately 1 minute). Whisk it continuously and keep an eye on it. The flour content makes the mixture thicken quite quickly. If your mixture has lumps, press it through a sieve into a bowl. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap resting right on the surface to prevent skin from forming. Allow it to cool completely. (You can also put it in the freezer on a flat tray for 30 minutes to cool faster).
Next, preheat your oven to 350°F and spray and line three round 8” pans with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a measuring cup, mix together the milk and vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the egg whites and vanilla and mix together thoroughly.
In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add in the flour mixture gradually and mix until the butter and flour form sand-like beads. Once the sandy texture has been achieved, pour in the oil and half the milk mixture. Mix for 2 minutes and then add the remaining milk mixture, beating for an additional minute. Pour the batter evenly between the three pans. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
Once the milk roux has cooled, you can finish the frosting. Add the butter to your mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy (approximately 2 to 3 minutes). Add the vanilla and salt and beat until fully incorporated. Add the cooled milk mixture in thirds to the butter, beating until the mixture has doubled in size. Transfer some frosting into separate bowls to color. Drop one or two drops of the color of choice into each separate bowl and mix. Transfer the colored frosting into a piping bag fitted with a tip of your choice, or for simplicity, cut off the end to create a round tip end.
To decorate, drizzle simple syrup on the first layer of cake and top with a dollop of frosting. Spread the frosting to 1” of the ends. Add the second layer on top and repeat. Repeat with the final layer. Cover the entire outside of the cake with frosting and allow it to rest for a few minutes (the buttercream sets quickly as a crumb coat). Frost the cake with the remainder of the frosting and decorate with colored frosting.
Makes one 8” round cake.
Patataki 